236 NASIK HEAD-QUARTERS. north-west of the Násik road station of the Great Indian Peninsula Railway. Among Hindus, Násik is considered a spot of special interest and holiness. About 30 miles from its source, the river Godávari, flowing eastwards through a group of small hills, turns sharply to the south, and, after passing in that direction for about a mile, again swerves suddenly towards the east. Here, on both sides of the river, but chiefly on its right or south-eastern bank, lies the town of Násik, Along the right bank, the town stretches for about a mile, spreading over three small hills that rise abruptly from the river-side. The buildings, covering an area of about 2 square miles, are divided into two main parts—the new town to the north and the old town to the south, Though, according to tradition, a place of extreme antiquity, the old town of Násik is without ruins or buildings of any age. In style and appearance, the houses do not differ from the new quarter, little of which is more than a hundred years old. Pánchwati, the portion of the city on the left bank of the river, in extent about one-seventh part of the whole, has several large temples and substantial dwellings, owned and inhabited chiefly by Brálmans. Between Pánchwati and the old town, the river banks are for about 400 yards lined with masonry walls and flights of stone steps. On both sides, places of worship fringe the banks, and even the bed of the stream is thickly dotted with temples and shrines. Though the town is not walled, the streets opening on the river and leading to the southern and western suburbs are ornamented with gateways. The streets are for the most part narrow and crooked, and the houses, built on plinths 2 or 3 feet high, have almost all an upper floor, and inost of them more than one storey. The fronts of many are rich in well-carved wood work, and the whole place has an air of wealth and comfort not to be seen in many Deccan towns. Though, since the misfortunes of Ráma and Sitá, Násik has ranked among the most sacred places of Hindu pilgrimage, its early Hindu rulers do not seem to have raised the town to any position of wealth or importance. The Musalmáns made it the head-quarters of a Division, and are said to have protected the town by building a fort, and to have fostered its trade, introducing the manufacture of paper and other industries. On the rise of the Maráthá power, Násik, chosen by the Peshwas as one of their capitals, increased in size and wealth. At first, under British government, it passed through a time of depression. But of late years, the opening of railway communication and the establishment here of the head-quarters of the District, have added much to its wealth and prosperity. On account of the great number of pilgrims who visit its shrines, the population of Násik varies much at different times of the year. The fixed population would seem to increase but slowly. The returns for
